Even Cardinal & Pine gets a flat tire sometimes. 

Today’s email is coming to you late because this newsletter’s fearless writer was temporarily stranded near Williamston. 😂 But we’re still coming at you, NC. As they say, not today, Satan! 

Let’s dive straight into the good stuff in this week’s Good News Friday. 

We have a few North Carolina celebrations to shout out this week, including a huge investment in jobs and housing from Duke University. Like any other college town, the university needs the city, and the city needs the university. 

We also have a big honor for one of NC’s first craft breweries, and a gift from the Carolina Panthers owner. 

(Photo via Duke Community Affairs)

Happy first day of spring, fam. Here’s what’s in today’s C&P newsletter: 

Fitting for the change of seasons, a C&P reader sent us this shot of the spring garden at Biltmore in Asheville. 

I’ve covered North Carolina for a long time. Stuff like this almost never happens. 

The options are few for powerful NC lawmaker Phil Berger. 

Here’s this important update on one primary election that could change the state. 

As Cardinal & Pine’s Michael McElroy writes, a full machine recount on Thursday showed that Rockingham County Sheriff Sam Page continues to lead NC Sen. Phil Berger, the most powerful Republican in the state, by 23 votes.

Berger can still request a partial hand recount, but it is not expected to change the result either, leaving legal challenges as his only path to keeping his seat.

The Rockingham and Guilford County boards of election have allowed Berger’s challenges over a few voters who said they got the wrong ballots to proceed. But they won’t be enough to tip the race. For more, tap here or on the button below. 

More on the Berger race: 

1. ‘Unbelievable’: Rep. Deborah Ross calls for justice for Epstein victims after reviewing new files. Cardinal & Pine

“NC Congresswoman Deborah Ross says she was shocked by what she read in unredacted documents in the Epstein Files this week.⁣”

2. Two sand cat kittens born at the North Carolina Zoo. WGHP

“According to a Facebook post, sand cat Sahara gave birth to two kittens on February 26, but did not bring them into the Desert Dome habitat until Thursday morning.”

3. Construction underway on first Buc-ee’s in North Carolina: Here’s when it opens. WBTV

“The popular gas station and store will be along Trollingwood Hawfields Road, just off I-40 and Highway 119 in the city of Mebane.”

4. NC House committee moves toward constitutional amendment limiting property tax hikes. WUNC

“The proposal is called a levy limit and has already been enacted in 28 states, including Texas and Washington.”

Local news is essential for democracy.

Our reporting cuts through false narratives, documents what’s actually happening in our communities, and provides voters with the clear, factual information they need—especially when the stakes are high.

Wileydoc via Shutterstock

I kinda went easy on you last week, judging by the speed of the correct answers from last week’s edition of “Where are we in NC?” 

It took just a few moments for C&P reader Scott Spencer of Asheville to correctly name the Great Smoky Mountains Railway in Bryson City. If you’ve never been there, you’re missing out.

Thanks for reading and for playing, Scott. You’re the king of NC knowledge this week. 

This week we’re going for a bigger challenge. Where are we this week, NC? Fastest to get it right gets the glory. Here’s a hint: There’s a lot of local organizing going on to preserve and restore this historic house in eastern NC. 

Thanks for reading. This newsletter was written by Billy Ball. I’m an NC native and journalist. I tend to lean left on opinion, but I lean no way on facts. Today’s edition includes stories from Ryan Pitkin and Michael McElroy. It was edited by Kim Lawson.

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